AbM-WC Press Release
Monday 25 May, 2009

Macassar Village: Application for interdict against the City of Cape Town likely to be heard on Wednesday

There were delays with the legal process this morning. We apologise to those journalists and comrades who were waiting in court. However we should be in court by Wednesday with the aim of securing an interdict against the Cape Town Municipality that prevents them from continuing with their unlawful actions against the people that have now been living on the disputed land in Macassar Village since 19 May 2009.

Everyday our shacks are demolished and our building materials are confiscated. Every day we rebuild. The occupation continues. Tomorrow we will have held the land for one week.

How can the occupation not continue when people are paying as much as R600 a month to rent a backyard shack? How can the occupation not continue when people have been on housing lists for 30 years? How can the occupation not continue when there is a backlog of 400 000 houses in Cape Town and that backlog increases by 20 000 a year while only 8 000 news houses are being built? How can the occupation not continue when many of those 8 000 houses are too small for family life and built in places where people can’t survive?

The politicians are complaining that the occupation is ‘organised’. Since when is it a crime for the poor to organise? The organisation of the poor by the poor and for the poor is our only hope. We have nothing but our will.

Our struggle to democratise this City from below continues.

For more information and updates contact Mzonke Poni at 0732562036